Antisemitism – the desire to diminish, blame or hurt Jews – has never really gone away, although it has gone underground for longish periods, as it did once people grasped the horrors of the Nazi holocaust.
Lately, however, I’m seeing more and more of it. I’ve particularly seen it targeted to libertarian, ancap and other pro-freedom movements. Whether this is simple opportunism or whether some group is sponsoring it, I can’t tell. But I am seeing it a lot, and I feel a need to respond.
So I’m going to tell you how to recognize antisemitism, and all it requires is that you hold one fact in mind:
Antisemitism is an obsession.
There are other ways to recognize it, of course, but this the best tell I know.
The promoter of antisemitism needs to talk about Jews. He or she (usually a he) will jump at even half-opportunities to do so. He’s also likely to cultivate a set of “facts,” ready to go at a moment’s notice.
Such a person will ignore correction. You can stand up and say, “I’m a Jew and I’ve never heard that,” but they’ll continue telling everyone they can “what really goes on in synagogues.” And if you don’t go away at that point, they’ll pull out some dubious statement from a supposed Jewish holy book, saying that we’re supposed to lie… that we are forced to practice lying. After that, they can brand you as a purposeful deceiver and claim victory.
There are sets of quotations going around that I call “the stupidest things ever said by a Jew.” These are treated seriously, as if all of us secretly believe such stupidities. And again, it matters not whether any actual Jews have ever heard those things, much less agreed with them.
There are also many slogans. Some take a “We’re not really antisemites,” tack, as with, “It’s not Jews, it’s Zionists,” or, “They’re not Jews, they’re Khazars.” And there’s always the classic: “A secret group of Jews is running the world.”
Even when such people can’t outright say “the Jews,” they’ll use code words: “the Chosen,” “the Tribe,” and whatever the newest ones may be.
As for the new version of antisemitism, I can tell you only what I’m seeing. (Note: I do not use Twitter, Facebook or the others.) And what I’m seeing is a version of the old “world-ruling conspiracy,” mixed with some horrifying stories of child abuse and Satanism. Filthy stuff… “need a shower after listening” stuff.
And so, there you have it. It’s here, it’s ugly, it’s making the rounds, and I hope I’ve helped you to recognize it.
Finally, please remember that the ultimate solution is to love one another. All else is distraction, decline and darkness.
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Paul Rosenberg
freemansperspactive.com